Dee Miller named staff member of the year

This archived article was written by: Kaina Elias

When Dee Miller was announced staff member of the year by Utah State University Eastern’s Chancellor Joe Peterson in the welcome back breakfast, he could not hide the surprise in his face. “I was there for the breakfast”, he said. The award is given to one outstanding staff member at USUE yearly. It is voted among all staff, what proves that whomever earns it, is someone that the entire Aggie/Eagle community pledges to be an amazing professional.
He is the father of three children, Sarah, Julia and Alex, which he raises alongside his wife, Katy, who works in the same field as him, Information Technology. Miller has been working with IT for quite a while. He is 34 and spent the last four working as Technical Coordinator III at USU Eastern. Before coming to Eastern, he worked in a full-time position for six years at Emery County IT and at some point, he even owned his own business: The Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISP) owned five communication towers throughout Emery County, with the company’s headquarters in Miller’s house at Ferron, Utah.
Miller says that he enjoyed the experience and that a lot of work was put into it. However, after applying for a position offered at USU Eastern, WISP ended when Miller was hired.
Born in Gunnison, Utah, and raised in Ferron, 2013 was not the first year Miller came to Price. He attended College of Eastern Utah in 2003, before it merged with Utah State University to become USUE. Miller never imagined that he would come back to the university in Price. Now that he is here, the staff member of the year is busier than ever. After all, “the beginning of the semester is always the busiest time in the year.” Yet, Miller does not care, “I love my job. It is the best job I ever had. There are not a lot of places you work hanging huge TVs on the wall!”
Being part of the academic services academic instructional support and working alongside the distance education department, Miller works constantly with several off sites for the same classroom, providing quality education for people that do not have access to USUE campus and a regular face-to-face class. He even teaches professors at USUE how to use the technology, so they can improve their students’ experience inside the classroom, enhancing their learning.
Miller says that his favorite part of his best job ever are displays and sound systems, which he enjoys every time he works with them, either installing or repairing, he always finds joy in what he does. Currently excited for the conclusion of the remodeling of the Geary Event Center, which according to Miller, will have the best and biggest display and sound system on campus. His plans for the future include the growth of the distance education program, making him even busier so he can keep doing what he loves.
Even though there is not much time left after his countless hours of work, Miller enjoys bringing his children to the plays at USU Eastern, as well as the choirs of the music department. His favorite place on campus is the lounge on the second floor of the CIB, where he enjoys looking to the city throughout the big glass wall in the south part of the building.
If students have any class within the USUE educational system, they might have the opportunity to cross pass with Miller. He works both face-to-face and broadcast classrooms. When that happens, which most likely will, they can be sure that they will have a competent and full of energy USUE employee working hard to ensure that their experience inside the classroom be the best that it can be. Moreover, thank him for his work, because even if students do not see it, there is something that they have learned on campus thanks to him.